arrow_upward

Gas Theft Is On the Rise

Here's How Fuel Pirates Are Making Their Move

keyboard_arrow_down

Written by

CarParts.com

Staff Writers

Updated on June 7th, 2022

High gas prices have forced many drivers to stay at home or come up with nifty ways to save money at the pump. Unfortunately, this also triggered a dramatic increase in gasoline theft, leaving victims with thousands of dollars worth of repairs and gasoline stations losing more money than what they're earning.

How Do Fuel Pirates Steal Gas?

With gas prices soaring to an all-time high, fuel thieves are coming up with crafty ways to steal gas from both drivers and gas stations. Here are some of the ways they are stealing gasoline.

Tapping Into Underground Tanks

In March 2022, approximately 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel were stolen from a family-owned gas station within three days in Texas. According to the owner, the suspects were able to steal fuel using a minivan with a trap door that gave them access to the station's underground fuel tank. They were able to steal 300-350 gallons of fuel per day.

Hacking Gas Dispensers

In Duncanville, a local gas station lost about $27,000 worth of gasoline after a suspect allegedly rigged the gas dispenser and tampered with the system.

Drilling a Hole In the Gas Tank

Most new vehicles have anti-rollover valves that prevent fuel siphoning. But this feature isn't enough to stop fuel theft. To get around this feature, many fuel pirates have resorted to drilling a hole in the gas tank, which lets them drain tanks in less than a minute.

Aside from losing several gallons of fuel, victims are also left with a damaged fuel tank, which can cost about $1,000 to replace, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

Bypassing the Payment System

In March 2022, a local gas station in North Carolina lost about 400 gallons of gasoline after thieves bypassed the station's payment system. According to the owner, the suspects planted a device in one of the gas dispensers to get gas without paying.

More than 15 cars were able to top up on fuel using this scheme, which amounted to approximately $1,600 worth of gasoline. The thieves changed the pulsar inside the dispenser, which provides the readings for the gallons dispensed and their corresponding prices. They reduced the amount they have to pay down to a nickel or a penny as they pumped gallons of fuel.

In Colorado, fuel pirates used a remote control to pump fuel without being charged in a local convenience store. According to the store manager, about 2,000 gallons of gasoline and 3,000 gallons of diesel were stolen, which amounted to nearly $50,000 worth of fuel.

Gas Fraud

Gas stations lose an average of $1 million every year to gasoline fraud, which can involve shutting down fuel pumps, hijacking credit card payments, and stealing credit card numbers.

Two security researchers from Israel reported finding several vulnerabilities in gas station software programs across the globe. Hackers can use these loopholes to fuel vehicles using stolen credit and debit cards and even control fuel prices and other information.

High Gas Prices and the Crime of Opportunity

According to experts and the AAA, there is a correlation between high gas prices and increasing reports of gas theft. The last time gas prices hit the $4-dollar mark was in the summer of 2008 at $4.11 per gallon. In early 2022, a gallon of fuel peaked at $4.33.

Rising gas prices have also paved the way for crooks to commit a crime of opportunity by entering the black market. Black markets for gasoline and diesel fuel have spread across the country, and they are making millions.

Fuel pirates can make up to $1,000 a day by reselling stolen fuel in construction sites, gas stations, and to truckers looking to save a few bucks. According to a statement by Owen DeWitt, a Texas-based fuel security company owner, California, Florida, and Texas are the top states with the most number of gas theft incidents.

Signs of Fuel Theft

If you notice a puddle of fuel beneath your vehicle and a strong odor of gasoline or diesel nearby, you might be a victim of fuel theft. Your fuel gauge will also drop and your vehicle won't start if your gas tank was drained.

What Should You Do If Your Vehicle Has Been Tampered With?

If you suspect that you’re a victim of gasoline theft, here’s what you have to do:

File a police report immediately.
Contact your insurance company to see if your policy covers the repair.
Take your vehicle to the nearest repair shop as soon as possible.

Don’t leave your vehicle with a damaged fuel tank for too long to avoid issues down the line.

What Happens When You Drive With a Leaking Gas Tank

Aside from being a fire hazard, leaving a leaking gas tank unaddressed can also cause several drivability issues (if your car is still running despite the damaged tank) that can lead to costly repairs.

Sometimes, your vehicle won’t just stop running once it runs low on gas. Instead, its engine might sputter, backfire, or surge intermittently一all of which can indicate fuel starvation.

Running out of fuel can make it hard to steer your vehicle and apply the brakes if the engine dies. But if your car comes with electric power steering, the electric power-assist will continue to work as long as the battery isn't dead.

Running out of gas can also create several problems for the fuel delivery system. Because it has little to no fuel, the fuel pump can’t stay cool and lubricated, causing it to work even harder and eventually fail.

When to Repair or Replace a Leaking Gas Tank

If the hole in the tank is small, you might be able to repair it with a gas tank repair kit. This kit typically includes a tube of epoxy putty, applicator, fiberglass cloth, and sandpaper, among others. A gas tank repair kit can cost you around $200.

But for extreme circumstances like total gas tank damage, replacing the entire part can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $1,100 on parts alone. The labor cost for this type of repair can range from $250 to $330.

How to Protect Your Vehicle from Fuel Pirates

Depending on a wire's function, characteristics like length, composition, size, and how it's bundled can vary. These characteristics are important because a wire can only conduct a certain amount of electrical current. If too much current passes through a wire, it might overheat and melt.

Park Wisely

Leaving your car unattended for a long time increases the risk of gas theft. So make sure you park your vehicle somewhere secure, like a garage, if you have to leave it.

If you can’t find a garage, park in a well-lit area. Make sure the fuel door faces the street instead of the sidewalk. This can alert the people nearby if someone is trying to steal fuel from your car.

Install a Locking Fuel Door or Gas Cap on Older Vehicles

Some older vehicles do not have a rollover valve to prevent siphoning. In such cases, you can use locking fuel doors and gas caps to prevent thieves from easily siphoning fuel out of your tank, offering an additional layer of protection against gas theft.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Gas theft can happen almost anywhere, so don’t assume you’re safe because you parked in a driveway or gas station. When topping up on fuel, watch out for suspicious vans, trucks, or trailers parked over the fill cap area.

Final Thoughts

Fuel pirates have been around for a long time, though their activities increased recently due to high gas prices. Security devices can only do so much to prevent gas theft because crooks often come up with ways to get around them.

So stay vigilant. Practice the preventive measures we've discussed to avoid becoming one of the many victims of gas theft and keep your vehicle safe from costly repairs.

About CarParts.com

For over 20 years, CarParts.com has been a leader in the e-commerce automotive aftermarket, providing collision, engine, and performance parts and accessories. With over 50 million parts delivered, we've helped everyday drivers across the contiguous United States find the right parts to keep their vehicles on the road.

With a focus on the end-to-end customer experience, we've designed our website and sourcing network to simplify the way drivers get the parts they need. Our vehicle selector and easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly website offer customers guaranteed fitment and a convenient online shopping experience. And with our own wide distribution network, we bring the very best brands and manufacturers directly to consumer hands, cutting out all the brick-and-mortar supply chain costs to provide quality parts at a discount for our loyal customers. Combined with our 60-day return policy and satisfaction guarantee, CarParts.com makes it simple for customers to get parts delivered straight to their door. CarParts.com is headquartered in Torrance, California.